Near-Whole-Genome Sequencing of Peste Des Petits Ruminants Virus Lineage IV From the Savannah District, Northern Côte...

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious viral disease affecting sheep and goats, causing substantial economic losses in endemic countries. In the Savannah district of Côte d'Ivoire, knowledge of the genetic diversity and molecular epidemiology of the PPR virus (PPRV) remains limited. This study investigated the genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships of PPRV circulating in this region using whole-genome sequencing (WGS). A cross-sectional survey was conducted between September and December 2023. Nasal swabs collected from sheep and goats were screened for PPRV ribonucleic acid (RNA) using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Samples with low quantification cycle (Cq) values of less than 35 and successful multiplex PCR amplification profiles were selected for sequencing using the Oxford Nanopore MinION platform. Near-complete consensus genomes were generated through reference-based assembly and analysed alongside representative strains from all recognised PPRV lineages. Of the 355 samples analysed, 25 (7.0%) tested positive for PPRV RNA, with positive detections in all three surveyed regions (Poro, Tchologo and Bagoué). The four samples with the lowest Cq values, originating from all three administrative regions, were successfully sequenced, generating genomes that covered 82.0%-86.2% of the reference genome at a depth of ≥ 10 ×. The missing regions were mainly located at the 5' and 3' genomic termini, as well as in limited internal regions associated with amplicon dropout. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all four sequences belonged to lineage IV and exhibited high nucleotide similarity (98.1%-99.9%). The Ivorian strains clustered with recent lineage IV viruses from West, North and Central Africa, whereas historical Ivorian lineages I and II formed distinct clades. These findings confirm the predominance of lineage IV in northern Côte d'Ivoire and provide baseline genomic data to support molecular epidemiological surveillance in the region.